Image forming apparatus, sheet guide apparatus and sheet guide method

ABSTRACT

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet, a sheet discharge part to discharge the sheet on which the image is formed, and a relay unit that is attached to the sheet discharge part, includes a sheet conveyance path to convey the discharged sheet to a finisher, and includes, at a side of a discharge port of the sheet conveyance path, a rotation end which can rotate up and down to coincide with a height position of the finisher while a shaft provided at a side of a carry-in port of the sheet conveyance path is made a fulcrum.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon and claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/311,258, filed on Mar. 5, 2010 the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

Embodiments described herein relate generally to an image forming apparatus, a sheet guide apparatus to convey a sheet from the image forming apparatus to a sheet processing apparatus (finisher), and a sheet guide method.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, an image forming apparatus (for example, an MFP) is provided with a sheet processing apparatus adjacent to the latter stage of the MFP in order to finish a sheet after image formation. The sheet processing apparatus is called a finisher, and the finisher staples the sheet sent from the MFP or forms a punch hole in the sheet, and discharges to a storage tray through a discharge port.

When the finisher is attached to the latter stage of the image forming apparatus, the design is made so that the height of a sheet discharge port of the image forming apparatus is equal to the height of a sheet feed port of the finisher. However, when the installation floor surfaces of the image forming apparatus and the finisher are not flat, takes much time to adjust the height of the sheet discharge port and the height of the sheet feed port. That is, when the sheet is conveyed from the MFP to the finisher, the height of the finisher is generally adjusted to coincide with the height of the sheet discharge port provided at the main body side of the MFP, and the MFP and the finisher are coupled to each other.

However, since the finisher is provided with plural casters, difficult to judge the horizontality, the finisher is liable to be inclined between the conveyance upstream side and the downstream side, and the height adjustment of the finisher is difficult.

Besides, when the heights of the sheet discharge port and the sheet feed port are different in level, the delivery of the sheet from the image forming apparatus to the finisher becomes incomplete, and a jam can occur. Besides, even if the height is adjusted, when the MFP is installed at a place such as a carpet, the heavy MFP sinks with time and the heights can deviate from each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a structural view showing an image forming apparatus and a sheet guide apparatus in an embodiment and is a view in which the image forming apparatus and the finisher are separated from each other.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view showing a relay unit in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view showing a carry-out port of the relay unit and a sheet feed port of the finisher in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion of the carry-out port of the relay unit in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a first explanatory view showing an operation of the sheet guide apparatus in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a second explanatory view showing the operation of the sheet guide apparatus in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a third explanatory view showing the operation of the sheet guide apparatus in the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a rotation operation of the relay unit in the embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to an aspect, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet, a sheet discharge part to discharge the sheet on which the image is formed, and a relay unit that is attached to the sheet discharge part, includes a sheet conveyance path to convey the discharged sheet to a finisher, and includes, at a side of a discharge port of the sheet conveyance path, a rotation end which can rotate up and down to coincide with a height position of the finisher while a shaft provided at a side of a carry-in port of the sheet conveyance path is made a fulcrum.

Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus and a sheet guide apparatus in an embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Incidentally, the same portion is denoted by the same reference numeral in the respective drawings.

In FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 100 is, for example, an MFP (Multi-Function Peripherals) as a composite machine, a printer, a copying machine or the like. A sheet processing apparatus 200 is disposed adjacently to the image forming apparatus 100. A sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming apparatus 100 is conveyed to the sheet processing apparatus 200.

The sheet processing apparatus 200 finishes the sheet supplied from the image forming apparatus 100, and, for example, sorts or staples the sheet. Besides, as the need arises, the sheet processing apparatus folds the sheet in two and discharges it. Hereinafter, the sheet processing apparatus 200 will be called the finisher 200. Incidentally, FIG. 1 shows a state where the MFP 100 and the finisher 200 are separated from each other.

A document table is provided at an upper part of a main body 11 of the MFP 100, and an auto document feeder (ADF) 12 is openably and closably provided on the document table. Besides, an operation panel 13 is provided at the upper part of the main body 11. The operation panel 13 includes an operation part 14 having various keys and a touch panel type display part 15.

A scanner unit 16 is provided at a lower part of the ADF 12 in the main body 11. The scanner unit 16 reads a document sent by the ADF 12 or a document placed on the document table and generates image data. A printer unit 17 is provided at the center part in the main body 11, and plural cassettes 18 for containing sheets of various sizes are provided at a lower part of the main body 11.

The printer unit 17 constitutes an image forming unit, includes a photoconductive drum, a laser and the like, processes the image data read by the scanner unit 16 or image data generated by a PC (Personal Computer) or the like, and forms an image on the sheet.

In the printer unit 17, the laser beam from the laser scans and exposes the surface of the photoconductive drum, and forms an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive drum. A charging unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit and the like are disposed around the photoconductive drum. The electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive drum is developed by the developing unit, and a toner image is formed on the photoconductive drum. The toner image is transferred to the sheet by the transfer unit. The toner image transferred to the sheet is fixed by a fixing unit. Incidentally, the structure of the printer unit 17 is not limited to the foregoing example, and various systems are adopted.

The sheet S on which the image is formed by the printer unit 17 is discharged to a sheet discharge part 40. The sheet discharge part 40 is formed in a space between the scanner unit 16 and the printer unit 17.

Besides, when the finisher 200 is connected to the latter stage of the MFP 100, the sheet S discharged by a sheet discharge roller 19 is conveyed to the finisher 200 through a relay unit 41. The relay unit 41 is inserted in the sheet discharge part 40 and can be coupled to the exit of the sheet discharge roller 19. The relay unit 41 constitutes a sheet guide apparatus and will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2.

The finisher 200 includes, for example, a staple unit 20 and a folding unit 30 to fold a sheet in two. The finisher 200 includes a storage tray 51, a fixed tray 52 and a storage tray 53. The sheet stapled by the staple unit 20 or sorted is discharged to the storage tray 51. The sheet folded in two by the folding unit 30 is discharged to the storage tray 53.

The sheet S conveyed by the relay unit 41 is received by an inlet roller 21 of the staple unit 20 through a conveyance roller 54. A sheet feed roller 22 is provided downstream of the inlet roller 21, and sends the sheet S received by the inlet roller 21 to a stand-by tray 23. Each of the inlet roller 21 and the sheet feed roller 22 includes an upper roller and a lower roller.

A processing tray 24 for stacking the sheet S dropped from the stand-by tray 23 is disposed below the stand-by tray 23. The stand-by tray 23 stacks the sheet S and has an openable structure. When a predetermined number of sheets S are stacked, the stand-by tray 23 is opened, and the sheets S drop to the processing tray 24 by their own weight or by the operation of a drop assist member. When a stapler 25 staples the sheets S, the processing tray 24 aligns the sheets S and stacks them.

The sheets S stacked on the processing tray 24 are aligned in a longitudinal direction as a conveyance direction by a longitudinal alignment roller 26. Besides, a lateral alignment plate for aligning the sheets S in a lateral direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction is provided. The lateral alignment plate performs the lateral alignment and sorting of the sheets S.

Besides, a conveyance belt 27 to convey the stapled sheets S to the storage tray 51 is provided. The sheets S conveyed by the conveyance belt 27 are discharged to the storage tray 51 through a discharge port 28. The storage tray 51 moves up and down and receives the sheets S. The sheets S may be discharged to the storage tray 51 without being stapled. When the sheets S are not stapled, the sheets S are discharged without being dropped to the processing tray 24. Incidentally, when the finishing process is not performed, the sheet conveyed from the MFP 100 is discharged to the fixed tray 52.

On the other hand, the folding unit 30 forms a bundle of plural sheets supplied from the MFP 100 and folds it in two. The sheet S conveyed from the MFP 100 is conveyed in the direction of a stapler 32 through a paper path 31 and is once received by a stack tray 33. The sequentially conveyed sheets S are stacked on the stack tray 33 and become a sheet bundle.

The sheet bundle on the stack tray 33 is conveyed in the direction of the stapler 32 by a guide belt 34, and when the center part of the sheet bundle reaches the stapler 32, the guide belt 34 once stops, and the center part of the sheet bundle is stapled.

The sheet bundle stapled by the stapler 32 moves down by the guide belt 34, and stops at a position where the center part of the sheet bundle is located at a nip point of a folding roller pair 35. A blade 36 is disposed at a position opposite to the folding roller pair 35.

The blade 36 protrudes the center part of the sheet bundle to the nip point of the folding roller pair 35, and pushes the sheet bundle into a portion between the roller pair 35. The folding roller pair 35 rotates while folding and nipping the sheet bundle, and folds the sheet bundle in two. The sheet bundle folded in two is conveyed by a discharge roller pair 37, and is discharged to the storage tray 53. A drive motor is provided to rotate and drive the folding roller 35 and the discharge roller pair 37.

Incidentally, a gate 55 is provided at the exit of the conveyance roller 54 in order to selectively convey the sheet S supplied from the MFP 100 to the staple unit 20 or the folding unit 30.

The storage tray 51 can move up and down, and receives the sheets S discharged from the staple unit 20. The storage tray 53 receives the sheet bundle folded in two by the folding unit 30. A press mechanism 38 to press the sheet bundle folded in two and a stopper 39 to receive the discharged sheet bundle are provided in the vicinity of the storage tray 53.

The storage tray 53 can be pulled out to facilitate the folded sheet bundle to be taken out. Besides, a leg 61 and a castor 62 are attached to the bottom of the MFP 100, and castors 63 and 64 are attached to the bottom of the finisher 200.

When both the MFP 100 and the finisher 200 are independent apparatuses, when there is a roughness or a level difference on the installation floor surface, or there is a variation in both the apparatuses, the height positions of the MFP 100 and the finisher 200 deviate from each other, the conveyance of the sheet is not smoothly performed, and a jam can occur.

When the height positions of the MFP 100 and the finisher 200 deviate from each other, the casters 63 and 64 are adjusted, and the height of the finisher 200 can be moved up and down. However, the adjustment is troublesome, and there is a case where the storage tray 52 is inclined according to the way of adjustment.

In the embodiment, even if there is a roughness or a level difference on the floor surface on which the MFP 100 and the finisher 200 are installed, the difference in installation height can be absorbed by adjusting the height position of the relay unit 41 at the discharge port side. Hereinafter, the relay unit 41 will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a state where the relay unit 41 is inserted in the sheet discharge part 40 of the MFP 100.

The relay unit 41 includes a unit main body 41A, and includes a sheet carry-in port 42 at a position opposite to the exit of the sheet discharge roller 19. Besides, the relay unit includes a carry-out port 43 at a position opposite to the conveyance roller 54 of the finisher 20, and a sheet conveyance path (indicated by a thick dotted line) is formed from the carry-in port 42 to the carry-out port 43. The carry-in port 42, the carry-out port 43 and the sheet conveyance path are provided in the unit main body 41A. Besides, a plate 44 is attached to the upper part of an end at the side of the carry-out port 43.

In the relay unit 41, the end at the side of the carry-out port 43 can be rotated within a previously set angle range while a shaft 45 provided near the carry-in port 42 is made a fulcrum. A support part 60 to support the shaft 45 is provided near the sheet discharge roller 19 of the MFP 100. When the relay unit 41 is inserted in the sheet discharge part 40, the shaft 45 is supported by the support part 60. The shaft 45 and the support part 60 constitute a rotation mechanism of the relay unit 41.

Besides, plural conveyance rollers 46 are disposed along the sheet conveyance path, and a drive source 47 to drive the respective conveyance rollers 46 is provided near the shaft 45. The drive source 47 includes a motor, and transmits the rotation force of the motor to the conveyance rollers 46 through a transmission mechanism such as a gear or a belt. The sheet S is conveyed by the rotation of the respective conveyance rollers 46 from the MFP 100 to the finisher 200.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the peripheral part of the carry-out port 43 of the relay unit 41 and the peripheral part of the conveyance roller 54 of the finisher 200, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion of the carry-out port 43 of the relay unit 41.

As shown in FIG. 3, the finisher 200 includes a taper-shaped sheet feed port 56 at a position opposite to the carry-out port 43 of the relay unit 41, and the conveyance roller 54 is provided at the depth side of the sheet feed port 56.

Besides, as shown in FIG. 4, the plate 44 is attached to the upper part of the carry-out port 43 of the relay unit 41 by a screw 48, and the plate 44 is fixed to the main body 10 of the MFP 100. The screw 48 passes through a long hole 49 formed in the plate 44 and is fixed to the main body 41A of the relay unit 41. Accordingly, the end (hereinafter referred to as the rotation end) of the relay unit 41 at the side of the carry-out port 43 can rotate in the up and down direction (arrow B direction) within the range of the length of the long hole 49. The screw 48 and the long hole 49 constitute a regulating member to regulate the up and down movement of the rotation end of the relay unit 41 within the previously set height range.

A guide port 50 is provided in a surface of the relay unit 41 which faces the finisher 200, for example, the surface near the carry-out port 43. On the other hand, a guide pin 57 to be inserted in the guide port 50 is provided on a surface of the finisher 200 which faces the relay unit 41. When the finisher 200 and the relay unit 41 are coupled to each other, the guide pin 57 is inserted in the guide port 50, so that the relay unit 41 is positioned by the guide pin 57. Incidentally, the guide pin may be provided in the relay unit 41 and the guide port may be provided in the finisher 200.

Hereinafter, the operation at the time of coupling of the MFP 100 and the finisher 200 will be described with reference to FIG. 5 to FIG. 7. Incidentally, in FIG. 5 to FIG. 7, in order to explain the coupling of the relay unit 41 and the finisher 200, a structure other than a main part is simplified or omitted.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a state where the MFP 100 and the finisher 200 are separated from each other. The relay unit 41 is in a state where the rotation end is lowered downward by own weight.

When the finisher 200 and the relay unit 41 are coupled, as shown in FIG. 6, the bottom of the plate 44 is raised so that the guide pin 57 enters the guide port 50. The rotation end of the relay unit 41 rotates in an arrow B1 direction within the range of the long hole 49.

Further, when the finisher 200 is pushed into the MFP 100 in the state where the positions of the guide pin 57 and the guide port 50 are coincident with each other, the state as shown in FIG. 7 occurs. The rotation end of the relay unit 41 slightly rotates around the shaft 45. The finisher 200 is coupled to the relay unit 41 in the state where the positions of the carry-out port 43 of the relay unit 41 and the sheet feed port 56 of the finisher 200 are coincident with each other.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing the rotation operation of the relay unit 41. The reference position where the height positions of the carry-out port 43 of the relay unit 41 and the sheet feed port 56 of the finisher 200 are coincident with each other is indicated by a thick solid line. The rotation end of the relay unit 41 rotates in the up and down direction in the space of the sheet discharge part 40.

When the height position of the sheet feed port 56 is higher than that of the carry-out port 43, as indicated by a dotted line 411, the rotation end of the relay unit 41 has only to be rotated in the arrow B1 direction (upper direction) with respect to the reference position. Besides, when the height position of the sheet feed port 56 is lower than that of the carry-out port 43, as indicated by an alternate long and shot dash line 412, the rotation end of the relay unit 41 has only to rotated in an arrow B2 direction (lower direction) with respect to the reference position of the relay unit 41.

Since the shift amount in the height positions of the finisher 200 and the MFP 100 is about ±10 mm, the level difference can be absorbed by moving the rotation end of the relay unit 41 up or down.

Accordingly, the height positions of the carry-out port 43 of the relay unit 41 and the sheet feed port 56 (conveyance roller 54) of the finisher 200 can be made coincident with each other by moving the rotation end of the relay unit 41 up or down.

Besides, since the rotation end of the relay unit 41 moves up and down, not necessary to adjust the heights of the MFP 100 and the finisher 200, and the coupling becomes easy. Besides, the finisher 200 is not inclined.

Further, in the relay unit 41, since the sheet conveyance path is long to a certain degree, the length of the sheet conveyance path is sufficiently long with respect to the rotation distance of the rotation end. Accordingly, even if the relay unit 41 rotates around the shaft 45 and is inclined, the inclined angle can be suppressed within a previously set angle, and the occurrence of a jam can be suppressed.

Since the drive source 47 is provided near the shaft 45 which becomes the rotation fulcrum of the relay unit 41, the weight at the side of the rotation end can be made small, and the rotation becomes easy.

As described above, in the image forming apparatus or the sheet guide apparatus of the embodiment, even if a level difference occurs between the MFP 100 and the finisher 200, the sheet S can be smoothly conveyed from the MFP 100 to the finisher 200.

Incidentally, no limitation is made to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. For example, although the finisher 200 including the stapler and the folding unit is described as an example, the finisher may include a puncher to form a punch hole in a sheet.

While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Indeed, the novel apparatus and methods described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the apparatus and methods described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions. 

1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet; a sheet discharge part to discharge the sheet on which the image is formed; and a relay unit that is attached to the sheet discharge part, includes a sheet conveyance path to convey the discharged sheet to a finisher, and includes, at a side of a discharge port of the sheet conveyance path, a rotation end which can rotate up and down to coincide with a height position of the finisher while a shaft provided at a side of a carry-in port of the sheet conveyance path is made a fulcrum.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the relay unit includes a plurality of conveyance rollers disposed along the sheet conveyance path, and a drive source to rotate and drive the conveyance rollers, and the drive source is provided at the side of the carry-in port.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the finisher includes a sheet feed port to receive the sheet discharged from the discharge port, and the rotation end of the relay unit is rotated up or down to cause a height of the discharge port of the sheet conveyance path to coincide with a height of the sheet feed port.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a guide port that is provided in one of opposite surfaces of the relay unit and the finisher; and a guide pin that is provided in the other of the surfaces and is to be inserted in the guide port.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the relay unit includes a regulating member to move the rotation end up and down within a previously set height range.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a length of the sheet conveyance path is long with respect to a rotation distance of the rotation end, and when the relay unit rotates while the shaft is made the fulcrum, an inclination angle of the relay unit is within a previously set angle.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a scanner unit to read a document, wherein the sheet discharge part is provided in a space between the scanner unit and the image forming unit, and the relay unit is inserted in the sheet discharge part .
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the rotation end of the relay unit rotates up and down in the space.
 9. A sheet guide apparatus comprising: a unit main body that is attached to a sheet discharge part of an image forming apparatus and includes a carry-in port to carry in a sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus; a sheet conveyance path that is provided in the unit main body and conveys the carried-in sheet to a finisher; and a rotation mechanism that includes a shaft provided at a side of the carry-in port and a support part to support the shaft, and rotates a rotation end of the unit main body at a side of a discharge port of the sheet conveyance path up and down in conformity with a height position of the finisher, while the shaft is made a fulcrum.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: a plurality of conveyance rollers disposed along the sheet conveyance path; and a drive source that is provided at the side of the carry-in port, and rotates and drives the conveyance rollers.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the finisher includes a sheet feed port to receive the sheet discharged from the discharge port, and the rotation end is rotated up and down to cause a height of the discharge port of the sheet conveyance path to coincide with a height of the sheet feed port.
 12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: a guide port that is provided in one of opposite surfaces of the unit main body and the finisher; and a guide pin that is provided in the other of the surfaces and is to be inserted in the guide port.
 13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the rotation mechanism includes a regulating member to move the rotation end up and down within a previously set height range.
 14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a length of the sheet conveyance path is long with respect to a rotation distance of the rotation end, and when the unit main body rotates while the shaft is made the fulcrum, an inclination angle of the unit main body is within a previously set angle.
 15. A sheet guide method comprising: attaching, to a sheet discharge part of an image forming apparatus, a unit main body including a carry-in port to carry in a sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus; conveying the sheet carried in the carry-in port to a finisher through a sheet conveyance path that is formed in the unit main body; and rotating a rotation end of the unit main body at a side of a discharge port of the sheet conveyance path up and down in conformity with a height position of the finisher, while a shaft provided at a side of the carry-in port is made a fulcrum.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: disposing a plurality of conveyance rollers along the sheet conveyance path; and rotating and driving the conveyance rollers by a drive source provided at the side of the carry-in port.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the finisher includes a sheet feed port to receive the sheet discharged from the discharge port, and the rotation end is rotated up and down to cause a height of the discharge port of the sheet conveyance path to coincide with a height of the sheet feed port.
 18. The method of claim 15, further comprising: providing a guide port in one of opposite surfaces of the unit main body and the finisher; providing a guide pin in the other of the surfaces; and inserting the guide pin in the guide port to perform positioning.
 19. The method of claim 15, further comprising regulating an up and down movement of the rotation end within a previously set height range.
 20. The method of claim 15, wherein a length of the sheet conveyance path is made long with respect to a rotation distance of the rotation end, and when the unit main body rotates while the shaft is made the fulcrum, an inclination angle of the unit main body is within a previously set angle. 